Effective FG pct. (eFG pct.--scroll down for 2005 figures)eFG pct. = (FGM + (0.5 x 3PM))/FGAAbout this stat....A straight field goal percentage is fine as far as it goes (better than rebounds-per-game, certainly) but, since the advent of the three-point shot, it’s less informative than the following: Effective FG pct. = (FGM + (0.5 x 3PM))/FGA For instance—Illinois ranked second in the Big Ten last year in straight FG pct. in conference play: Michigan State: .498 (431/866) Illinois: .485 (432/890) But, of course, the Illini attempted many more three point shots (351) than did the Spartans (283) and, as the old saying goes, making a third of your three-pointers is just as good as making half your two-pointers. So the fact that Illinois shot .013 lower from the field than did Michigan State is misleading when unaccompanied by the additional fact that Bruce Weber’s team sank a very healthy share of those three-pointers: Illinois eFG pct. = (432 + (0.5 x 145))/890 = (432 + 72.5)/890 = 504.5/890 = .567 Michigan State eFG pct. = (431 + (0.5 x 93))/866 = (431 + 46.5)/866 = 477.5/866 = .551An eFG pct. merely recognizes mathematical reality: a made three-pointer is worth 0.5 more than a made two-pointer. Using a straight FG pct. in the presence of the three-point shot, then, is roughly analogous to calculating a batting average using plate appearances instead of official at-bats.